Up and down rain chances and temperatures through Mardi Gras

Mother Nature will "throw" lots of curves over the next week as upper disturbances accompanied by periodic cool and warm fronts will conspire to limit the sun and keep up and down rain chances and temperatures in the forecast for Acadiana and much of Louisiana through Mardi Gras.

Before the showers kick in, in the near term, there will likely be some fog developing across Acadiana through daybreak Tuesday as temperatures remain nearly steady, in the upper 50s to lower 60s, while the atmosphere gradually saturates.

A few scattered showers will be possible through the overnight hours, with scattered showers and perhaps a few isolated thunderstorms remaining in the forecast Tuesday. Temperatures Tuesday will reach the lower 70s.

Tentative rain chances Tuesday will be in the 50% range, with no real focusing mechanism to key in on, other than upper level disturbances.

Rain chances will likely increase to near 70-80% Wednesday, as a cool front approaches, with more locally heavy downpours a better bet.

Rain totals through Wednesday should be in the .50-1" range at the very least, with isolated spots possibly receiving more.

At this point no organized severe weather nor organized flood threats are anticipated through Wednesday.

Thursday will be the driest day over the next week with the possibility of some dull sunshine bleeding through persistent clouds.

It will be cooler later Wednesday into Thursday before another warm-up commences going into the weekend.

Look for the possibility of a few isolated showers Friday, high rain chances this weekend, with at least the chance of scattered showers into next Monday and Mardi Gras.

For now Mardi Gras looks mild with temperatures pushing the low-mid 70s, but these numbers will likely change...along with the rain chances too. Stay tuned!

The bottom line: Acadiana will stay in a cloudier and wetter than normal pattern for the better part of the next week plus, with accumulative rain totals over the next 10 days pushing 2-4" in many spots.